https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty1HhODKVaI&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Reisner is an acclaimed ethicist and clinician. His talk and the comments of other esteemed psychologists and psychiatrists have lead to a discussion of whether Trump should be labelled evil or sick – (in other words, the old “bad or mad” argument that came up when I was studying Harry Stack Sullivan eons ago). I think that the answer to that depends on the lens with which you are viewing it: morally/philosophically he is evil; medically he is sick. The critical point is that he is a high risk person: everyone and anyone around him in our society is in danger – ..other societies have a way of dealing with people like Trump – we don’t do that in the USA – we use the democratic process enshrined in the constitution to respond to people like Trump. As Dr. Reisner points out, we clarify what is good, and abide by that.
Critical issue for psychologists is that Trump has somewhat successfully made himself out to be the victim – we’re the bad guys. This ability to reverse situations, which I believe is automatic and unconscious, is the bread and butter of bullies/narcissists (CMNs in my name for it). Psychologists are stepping up and helping the public to understand this dynamic.
